Basketball: National League-Cyril Agrippine leads Rockers, Solomon gets season-high 49 |06 May 2008
On Sunday, he missed the dying minutes of the second quarter and the whole of the third 10-minute spell, but returned in time for the fourth. After being caught by an elbow and suffering a cut just above his left cheek, requiring two stitches, Agrippine returned to steer his younger teammates to a famous victory over Baya.
On the same day, Premium Cobras brought the new highest winning margin of the season to 98 as they steamrollered Beau Vallon Heat 135-37.
Victoria Gymnasium hosted last weekend’s basketball action.
MBU Rockers 83 … Baya 75
Baya had not lost in their first four Men’s Division One matches, but could not extend their winning run when they met MBU Rockers, going down 75-83.
The Rockers’ win was orchestrated by Cyril Agrippine as he took his teammates under his
MBU Rockers, who had lost their previous encounters against Baya in the final minutes as they hurried their game when leading, bridged an eight-point deficit to send shivers down Baya coach Michel Malbrook’s spine.
Agrippine got 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and he was helped by captain and playmaker Nigel Sinon with 12 of his team-high 23 points as the Rockers outscored Baya 33-17. They had lost the first three quarters 19-20, 14-19 and 17-19.
Assistant coach Paul Denis was proud of his players and said they had given him a nice 46th birthday present.
Happy to have led MBU Rockers, who had two other players – Timmy Adam (16 points and two slam dunks) and Alvin Marie (14) – scoring in double digits, Agrippine said:
“Winning against Baya is good. But we still have a lot to work on and all players must step up when the game is on the line.”
Jean-Paul Camille’s game-leading 26 points went to waste in the defeat as Baya, who also got 18 points from Robert Léon and 11 from playmaker Giovanni Laval, need to rethink tactics.
Both Baya and MBU Rockers, who had Gonzague Agrippine, Nigel Henriette and Alvin Marie fouling out, have nine points after four wins and a loss apiece. The two teams remain in the title hunt.
Premium Cobras 135 … Beau Vallon Heat 37
There seems to be no heat coming from Beau Vallon, and Premium Cobras made the most of the situation to bring the new highest winning margin of the season to 98 as they steamrollered Beau Vallon Heat 135-37.
The previous high was 78 points and it lasted just one week. Premium Cobras, who had beaten Razors 126-48 in their previous encounter, got a season-high 49 points from Nigerian Alao Solomon, who has now improved his average to 42 points per game after getting a total of 210 points in five games – 34 against Cascade Bullets, 46 against Praslin Warriors, 39 against MBU Rockers and 42 against Razors.
Former champions Premium Cobras won all four quarters, 27-7, 32-6, 34-12 and 42-12, for their fifth consecutive win to shoot to the top of the 10-team table with a maximum 10 points.
Abdel Sylla (17 points), Nigerian Simon Pusam (12), Tony Moustache (12) and Steve Allisop (11) were the other Cobras in double figures, while Cliff Furneau again led winless Heat in scoring with 14 points.
PLS Hawks 99 … Praslin Warriors 59
Defending League and Cup champions PLS Hawks missed out on reaching the century mark against Praslin Warriors last Saturday with a 99-59 victory – bringing their win tally to four.
Runners-up at this year’s Indian Ocean Club Championship, PLS Hawks had four players – Rodney Lozé (25), Daniel Victor (17), Wellington Adeline (16) and Bernard Bristol (12) – scoring in double digits as they dominated the Warriors in all four quarters – 19-14, 24-16, 29-14 and 27-15.
With just one win in four games, Praslin Warriors, last year’s champions of the old Men’s Division 1B league, got 22 points from Joseph Souffe, 16 from captain Jackson Auguste and 13 from Edmond Félicie.
Cascade Bullets 81 … Angels 86
Angels had a huge fourth quarter – outscoring Cascade Bullets 33-18 to run away with their second win in four games.
After winning the first quarter 20-11, Anse Boileau-based Angels lost the second and third 16-30 and 17-22, but had the energy to come back in the fourth 10-minute spell with Daniel Dodin scoring 12 of his game-leading 33 points.
He was helped in offence by Darren Lesperance with 22 points, while centre Steve Antat added 12.
The Bullets, who had Christopher Camille (30 points), Kenneth Sophie (20) and Sandy Julienne (18) combining for 68 points, have themselves to blame for their fifth loss on the trot.
Coach Grégoire Scholastique’s team will only start winning games if they cut out their high level of individual and selfish play.
Razors 0 … RC Dynamics 20
As the Razors could not field a team, RC Dynamics did not have to sweat to garner two points and their second win of the season.
Formerly SMB Razorback, the Razors, who lost a number of players during the off-season, face relegation if they miss another match.
Meanwhile, in two Men’s Division Two matches, LMS Youth beat Fire Brigade 63-40 and Anse Etoile defeated Cadets 67-39.
G. G.